Silkie thread!

[Sonoran Silkies]

Okay so I know that it's completely unpredictable, and some might disapprove, but what's the most optimal breed to cross a silkie with? I have some lovely cochins. Also I doubt this is likely since everyone has trouble sexing them, but is it possible to sex chicks by wing length? I have several chicks right now some with different lengths and some with same length wing feathers. So I was wondering if it worked, I'll follow up on it as they grow because I'm obsessive, but I don't want to get my hopes high that I have tons of pullets if it's absolutely not true

I guess my question to you would be, what are you trying to accomplish? The answer to that will give you a better idea of the breeds that would accomplish that goal.

Feather sexing works on birds and breeds that have had the trait bred into them. Silkies have not.

 

[mandycarlo]

Can anyone tell me what Color my gray girl is in the pic ??

 

[mbbrinegar]

Splash color maybe. Very pretty birds though.

 

[Suzierd]

Can anyone tell me what Color my gray girl is in the pic ??

Splash

 

[mandycarlo]

She was all gray as a chick now she has dark spots on her .. She pretty what ever she is lol

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

She was all gray as a chick now she has dark spots on her .. She pretty what ever she is lol

SHe is splash. The "grey" you describe is properly called blue. In chickens, "grey" is a specific plumage pattern, not a hue.

 

[kabhyper1]

What age did your silkies start laying? I have four 8 month old girls. None lay. One has been singing the egg song for a week though and has been in the nest box all day today. So we will see I guess. Also my two year old hen with the curled foot has been laying around today a lot. Not acting ill just not on her feet. Could it just be her legs are tired? She limps around because of her foot. She was born that way I understand and I adopted her. I want to make her a padded shoe lol. She has pin feathers everywhere, no balding, just very rough when you pet her, and dropped off laying two months ago, so I am assuming molt?

 

[mandycarlo]

Just got my first egg the other day from my younger silkie stock and boy was it tiny lol they are around 6 months old bought them in April.

Thanks for telling me the color of her I have older splash hens and they are no comparison to her she is better quality

 

[buttercup95]

I guess my question to you would be, what are you trying to accomplish? The answer to that will give you a better idea of the breeds that would accomplish that goal.

Feather sexing works on birds and breeds that have had the trait bred into them. Silkies have not.

I have no intention of ever actually cross breeding with silkies, there are just too many variables with the breed and not a lot of actual attributes I would want from them. I mean they're gorgeous birds and I just found the notion to be exciting and to create your own unique bird would be very special, wouldn't it?

 

[mandycarlo]

I actually have some !!! My silkie roosters have been mating with my egg layers :-0 I put a few eggs in the incubator and I was shocked what came out lol

This a a leghorn hens mixed with my silkie rooster (white on white ) has feathers on feet looks just like a silkie going to hatch some more from my Rhode Island Red to see what they will look like :0